Racing and Politics

Trail running races in wilderness areas

Indeed, only a handful of trail races pass through wilderness areas in the U.S., and they are the exception to the rule. Most are run on trails that existed prior to the wilderness designation and were grandfathered in to the new decree.

While a letter from the Forest Service may have worked in the past, Rossmann says a race now needs explicit congressional authorization to be grandfathered through a wilderness area. And that's easier said than done, especially because there doesn't appear to be consistency in why some races are allowed and others are prohibited.

In some cases, federal pressure has led to the extinction of races, no matter how popular or pristine they might be. After 26 years of the Kilauea Volcano Runs in Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park, the park announced last year the races would no longer be permitted after 2008, even on a different course. The final edition of the 5-miler, 10-miler and marathon drew a combined 600 participants.

Neely believes each race permit request should be reviewed independently, taking into consideration how each event operates. A blanket rejection isn't what he believes is the intent of the Wilderness Act, nor does it benefit those who want to enjoy the protected lands via running.

"What is it about people in sneakers running down an established trail that has historically been used for that use that is now all of a sudden an impactive event?" Neely asks. "Not every footrace would be non-impactive, but that's where the Forest Service has a management responsibility at a local level. They can't just hide behind their national policy, which is there just as a guide. It's not there as the golden rule that says, 'You can't do this because ...' "

High on windswept mountaintops, runners are treated to a primeval retreat four hours from Washington, D.C. Both race and Forest Service staff ditched their chainsaws for handsaws for maintenance projects in the new wilderness areas through which the race passes.

The 9-mile La Luz Run, the oldest trail race passing through a wilderness area, may feel more urban that wild. However, the final miles of picturesque singletrack and panoramic vistas of Albuquerque still make this a breathtaking course.

But for a wilderness designation, the popular Miwok 100K might not exist. The race, which does not run through wilderness lands, evolved after the 49er Double Marathon was excluded from the San Francisco Bay Area's Phillip Burton Wilderness.

After 26 years, this trail marathon across Hawaiian lava fields went dormant this year. It was discontinued for various reasons, including the eruption of the Halema'uma'u Crater and a desire to respect the cultural importance of the mountain to native Hawaiians.

Western States is the Boston Marathon of American ultramarathons. It may not have the biggest field or any prize money, but it's the ultra many aspire to run. It's also one of the biggest organized events in the country held in a portion of a wilderness area.